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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chest — a box
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fine — all right
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fine — high quality
  16. chest — of your body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. face — to confront
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pop — soda
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pop — music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com